New City NYC Sermons

New City NYC
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  1. 4H AGO

    Philippians Series I: Is it worth it? Reinterpreting suffering | Phil. 1:12-30

    In Philippians 1, Pastor Piero asks the question behind so much of our faith: Is it worth it? Not as a slogan, but as a real test when obedience costs you comfort, reputation, security, or control. From Paul’s imprisonment, we see a surprising gospel logic: suffering doesn’t have the final word. The gospel reinterprets suffering—not by romanticizing pain, but by revealing what God can do through it. Paul says his chains have actually advanced the gospel (Phil. 1:12–18), using a word that means “cutting a path forward.” Even the empire’s enforcement system becomes an unexpected platform for witness, and the church becomes bolder because they see a leader who refuses fear. The harder question lands close to home: Do we care more about our ego and self-actualization than Christ being proclaimed? Paul had died to reputation. He could rejoice—not in pain itself—but in the redemptive ways God uses hardship to make Jesus known. Then the sermon moves to Paul’s clearest redefinition of “gain”: “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). That line exposes how easily we reverse the gospel into spiritual consumerism—living for “gain” now and treating Jesus as insurance later. Paul’s north is different: life is Christ-centered, Spirit-dependent, and other-focused. He leans on the prayers of the church and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ (1:19), and he’s willing to remain “in the flesh” for their joy and progress in faith (1:24–26). Finally, Paul calls the church to live primarily from their heavenly citizenship (1:27–30)—together, not alone. In a world that pulls us toward comfort if we have privilege, or striving if we don’t, the Spirit forms a people who stand with “one spirit and one purpose.” Even suffering is reframed as a grace-gift (charis) God can use to shape us and advance His kingdom.

    29 min

  2. 4H AGO

    The Book of Philippians: Intro + Background

    In this opening message of our new Philippians series, “Reinterpreting Chains in Christ Jesus,” Pastor Piero sets the stage by asking a piercing question: Is following Jesus worth it when it costs you something? From a Roman prison cell, Paul writes to the church in Philippi, a “mini-Rome” shaped by status, loyalty, and allegiance to Caesar. Yet Paul keeps repeating a shocking theme: his chains are not a setback, but a strategy God is using to cut a path forward for the gospel (Phil. 1:12–14). As we explore the historical and cultural background of Philippians, we begin to see why Paul’s words about joy, citizenship, and suffering carried such weight for a community living under empire. Then the sermon takes us back to Acts 16, the origin story of the Philippian church: God’s call to Macedonia, Lydia’s conversion, a slave girl’s deliverance, and a Roman jailer’s salvation—all framed by worship in the middle of beating and imprisonment. The church was literally born in hardship, and ten years later Paul’s perspective hasn’t changed: Jesus is Lord, and the Gospel advances even through suffering. This message invites us to examine our own “mini-Rome” realities in New York City—identity, citizenship, security, polarization, and ambition—and to consider what would shift if our deepest allegiance was not to earthly status, but to our heavenly citizenship in Christ (Phil. 1:27; 3:20).

    28 min

  3. FEB 11

    The Most Influential Church | Acts 11:19-30

    In this powerful sermon, Yucan Chiu (Guest Speaker) invites us to rethink how we measure “success” in the church. Is it size, social media presence, longevity, cultural impact? Or is it something deeper—something quieter, yet far more transformative? Drawing from Acts 11:19–30, Yucan explores the origin story of the church in Antioch—arguably one of the most influential churches in history. This was the community where followers of Jesus were first called “Christians.” It was the church that sent out the Apostle Paul. And it was birthed not by famous leaders—but by unnamed, scattered, displaced believers. Through this passage, we discover five defining marks of a world-changing church: Started by ordinary, unnamed people Formed through displacement and scattering Courageous across cultural and ethnic barriers Connected to a wider kingdom movement Mobilized to meet real-world needs in times of crisis Yucan challenges us to see that God often works through obscurity, disruption, and cross-cultural courage to build something far more enduring than platform or prominence. At the heart of Antioch’s influence was one central proclamation: Jesus is Lord. Not merely as a private spiritual truth—but as a revolutionary reality that redefines power, politics, identity, and hope. In a world shaped by empire, chaos, and fear, the good news that Jesus reigns was—and still is—earth-shattering. If you’ve ever wondered whether small, scattered, diverse communities can truly make a difference—this message is for you. The most influential church may not be the most visible. But it is the one aligned with the risen King.

    31 min

  4. FEB 3

    Get Out of the Boat | Mt. 14:13-33

    In this solo sermon, Jingyang walks us through Matthew 14:13-33, inviting us to confront the limits of natural logic when following Jesus. From the feeding of the five thousand to the disciples straining against the wind, the passage exposes how easily we default to human calculation, control, and self-preservation. Jingyang highlights that while natural means have their place, they are never the final word—God’s power is not constrained by scarcity, scale, or circumstance. The message crescendos with Peter stepping out of the boat, challenging listeners to consider what obedience looks like when Jesus calls us beyond what feels reasonable or safe. Being sent by Jesus does not guarantee smooth waters, but faith that rests in God’s power rather than human wisdom opens the door to the impossible. This sermon is a call to move from observation to participation—to trust Jesus enough to get out of the boat and meet Him where faith requires risk.

    44 min

  5. JAN 29

    Give Up Your Own Way | Mt. 16:21-26

    In this solo message, Piero walks through Matthew 16:21–26 to confront a central tension of discipleship: recognizing who Jesus is while resisting the way He accomplishes His mission. Set in the politically and religiously charged landscape of Caesarea Philippi, this passage exposes how Peter’s confession of Jesus as Messiah collides with his misunderstanding of a cruciform kingdom. Piero unpacks how Jesus rejects power defined by empire, control, and self-preservation, calling His followers instead to see reality from God’s perspective—where victory comes through suffering and life is found through surrender. Framed around Jesus’ threefold call to give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me, this sermon challenges the assumptions of comfort-driven faith and invites listeners into a counter-cultural vision of discipleship. Piero explores what the cross meant in the Roman world, why self-denial is not optional for followers of Jesus, and how true transformation happens as we walk closely with our Rabbi in everyday life. This message presses us to ask hard questions about power, control, and allegiance—and whether we are willing to pay the cost of following Jesus on His way, not our own.

    32 min

  6. JAN 29

    Friendship with Jesus | Jn. 15: 1-11

    In this solo message, Andrea invites us into a tender yet challenging vision of friendship with Jesus, rooted in John 15 and Jesus’ Farewell Discourse. Preached in the shadow of the Last Supper, this passage reframes faith not as performance or partial commitment, but as a life of abiding—fully connected to Christ as the true vine. Andrea unpacks what it means to remain in Jesus through love, obedience, Scripture, and spiritual formation, reminding us that fruitfulness flows not from striving but from intimacy with the Source. Through the themes of abiding, fruit, and pruning, Andrea explores how God shapes our character over time—often through uncomfortable seasons—so that Christ’s life might be formed in us. Drawing from her own story of vocational pruning and re-centered purpose, she challenges our assumptions about success, productivity, and joy, pointing instead to a life surrendered to God’s transforming work. This sermon is an invitation to slow down, release control, and rediscover the freedom and joy of loving God and others from a place of deep dependence on Jesus.

    40 min

  7. JAN 8

    Holy Inconsistency | Mk. 9:20-27

    In Holy Inconsistency, Koob walks us through Mark 9:20–27, centering on a desperate father whose prayer captures the tension many believers quietly carry: “I believe; help my unbelief.” Rather than presenting doubt as something to hide or conquer quickly, this sermon names the difference between cynical doubt that closes us off from God and honest doubt that dares to bring our fractured faith directly to Jesus. The father’s wavering trust is not polished or consistent—but it is real, and Jesus meets it head-on. Koob invites us to see that the power of this passage does not rest in the father’s certainty, but in Jesus’ generous grace. Even amid chaos, failure, and incomplete faith, Jesus takes the boy by the hand and raises him up. Holy Inconsistency challenges the assumption that strong faith means having no questions, and instead reframes faithfulness as bringing our whole selves—belief and unbelief alike—into the presence of Christ, trusting that He is able to meet us there and lift us up.

    33 min

  8. JAN 6

    Advent Series IV | Love That Actively Seeks The Benefit of Others, 1 Cor. 13:1-14:1

    In this final sermon of the Advent season, preached by Jingyang during our Christmas service, we turn to Paul’s profound vision of love in 1 Corinthians 13. As Advent culminates in the celebration of Christ’s coming, this passage confronts us with a love that goes far beyond emotion, gifting, or spiritual activity. Paul exposes how even the most compelling expressions of faith—eloquence, sacrifice, generosity, or spiritual power—are empty when detached from love. Advent love, as Scripture presents it, is patient, humble, and self-giving, consistently oriented toward the good of others rather than the elevation of self. This message invites us to see love not as an abstract ideal but as a lived, embodied reality shaped by Christ Himself. Rooted in the incarnation, this kind of love actively seeks the benefit of others, endures through difficulty, and reflects the very character of God revealed at Christmas. As we close the Advent season, the call is to pursue love as the defining mark of Christian life and community, carrying the light of Christ’s self-giving love into the world beyond the season of Advent.

    36 min
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Listen to our sermons and reflections here

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  • Creator
    New City NYC
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    198
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © New City NYC
  • Show Website
    New City NYC Sermons